Savills Garden, Chelsea Flower Show 2007, designed by Marcus Barnett and Philip Nixon. Photo © Anna Barker

May means it’s time for Chelsea – the Flower Show, not the Football Club*. The first Royal Horticultural Society Spring Flower Show was held in 1888, not in Chelsea but in the three acre Inner Temple gardens in central London, surrounded by lawyers who were not impressed with the disruption – the wafts of soup from the catering stands proving particularly upsetting. Moving to the larger Royal Hospital, Chelsea in 1913, the show proved to be a tremendous success. For the 1914 show the organising committee wanted a suitable company to film the event – something we’re all too familiar with nowadays, with week-long wall to wall TV coverage.

In tough economic times Chelsea, as the show has become known, could be viewed as an extravagance. It takes 18 months’ time and effort to organise, and the cost of the major show gardens alone would turn your hair white. But Chelsea has almost always run, through both world wars and during times of depression. During straightened times the show has reflected the prevailing conditions – expensive and labour intensive hot-house plants virtually disappeared after 1918, and in the early 1930s vegetables and herb gardens were popular, as they were again in 2011.

But if you do go to Chelsea, and everyone should try to go once, you realise it’s like going to the theatre – complete artifice, perfect for a few days only. The show gardens are beautiful but if you could transport them home they wouldn’t be the same. From a design point of view, the show gardens as a whole are unattainable (unless you’re a lottery winner), but individual ideas can be gleaned and tweaked to work in your own gardens. The plants are fabulous, of course, and the passion and commitment of the exhibitors to plants and horticulture is amazing – you cannot help but feel inspired to make changes once you get home.

It could be argued that you’d get a better view if you watched the coverage on TV, and it would certainly be more comfortable. But there is a certain atmosphere at the show that you don’t get from sitting on the sofa. It’s busy, expensive, tiring, the weather is never perfect. But overall, the world’s most prestigious gardening event is just fabulous.

* Although at the time of writing Chelsea Football Club could still win the Champions League and the FA Cup. So I’m told.

This article originally appeared in Village Breeze Magazine, May 2012. © Lush Landscape and Garden Design Ltd 2012.

Source: http://FrugalDad.com

According to the old rhyme, we should be preparing ourselves for April showers. But these days who knows what type of weather we’ll get from one month to the next? Gone are the distant childhood memories of roasting hot summer holidays and snowy winters. It seems that wherever you live the chances of predictable weather are shifting, with each season slipping slightly into the next.

Whether this change is our doing or part of a natural cycle, one thing is for sure – we will have to adapt to survive and that applies to our gardening habits too.

This week, European forestry scientists started a huge study to assess the impact of climate change on forestry. Test plots of a wide variety of tree species are being planted, measured and assessed throughout Europe, with the measurements scheduled to continue for decades.

In the UK, water companies covering the South East and East Anglia have already declared hose-pipe bans due to draught conditions, and there is a real possibility of those bans being extended across the country, so we need to be prepared.

We’ve written before on how to deal with drought in the garden by conserving water using butts and choosing drought resistant plants. But I don’t think we should be worrying solely about drought – if climate change predictions are accurate we should also be wary of other extremes, such as flooding.

My approach is to look closely at the conditions in your garden, and make those conditions work for you by planting accordingly.

For example, if you have an area that fills up with water in the winter but dries out and starts to crack in summer, leaving your plants either drowning or gasping for water, then take advantage of those conditions by creating a bog garden.

Excavate the area and line with polythene sheeting or butyl pond liner. Refill with gravel and soil, maybe a few well placed rocks and cobbles, and plant with moisture-lovers such as ferns, Lysichiton, Hostas, Astillbe, Rodgersia and Rheum (Gunnera if you have lots of room), and water in well. These plants will thrive in a damp position and, by lining the area with polythene, you’ll have helped keep moisture around their roots through any dry periods.

Alternatively, if you have a hot, dry site, think Mediterranean. Herbs love poor soil, so you don’t necessarily need to improve it greatly. Grey-leaved plants like Lavender, Stachys, Santolina, Verbascum, Eryngium and Phlomis will also thrive on this type of site.

With a bit of forward planning and thought we can prepare our gardens for whatever weather comes our way.

An abridged version of this article first appeared in Village Breeze magazine, April 2012

The months of inactivity during autumn and winter allow us gardeners time to plan for the year to come. There are so many plants I’m looking forward to in the seasons ahead: the spiral fleshy leaves of Hostas as they shoot out the soil; Allium bulbs with their perfect globes of dense purple starry blooms; highly scented Hammamelis; fat Poppy flower heads waiting to burst open with their crinkled petals; velvety heads of roses in high summer; the drift of tall ornamental grass like Stipa gigantea in the summer breeze. All perfect highs for me and reasons why I love doing what I do.

Looking out at my own winter garden it takes a bit of vision to see what it will become. The structure is there, the architectural back-drop of shrubs and trees, but even so on a dull day it can be depressing to look out to a sea of brown and grey, especially as my chickens have been scratching around doing some gardening of their own.

We’ve invested plenty of hard work in our garden over the years so I know that by summer it will look at its finest. Gardens evolve over time and there are still areas that need attention, but I have a master plan so it will be done… eventually.

And a plan is the most important part of any garden scheme – whether it exists just in your head or as a detailed annotated drawing. It’s so tempting to buy plants on impulse at the garden centre, but planting without planning most often leads to an over-crowded garden lacking in proportion, containing sickly looking plants. A properly designed plan will save you time and money so that eventually, in the depths of another winter, you can feel that same flutter of anticipation about your own garden.

This article originally appeared in Village Breeze Magazine, March 2012. © Lush Landscape and Garden Design Ltd 2012.

Luckily for them, help is at hand from the charity Garden Organic, who this year launched the One Pot Pledge, which aims to help gardening newcomers to grow an edible crop by using simple steps and clear advice to encourage and enthuse them.

Despite the surge in interest in ‘grow your own’ many newcomers, although keen to have a go, still don’t know where to start when it comes to food growing. Many are put off because they think they don’t have space to garden, or because they don’t have the time or knowledge. By encouraging people to start small with just one pot, the One Pot Pledge campaign aims to combat this, promising to make growing easy and successful.

The campaign hopes to encourage 30,000 people to make the One Pot Pledge and sow, grow and harvest their own food for the very first time. So far they are nearly halfway to meeting this target.

If you want to give it a grow, visit the One Plot Pledge website for more information.

I ought to point out, before you read any further, that this has absolutely nothing to do with gardens of any sort. If gardens are what you’re after, I’d bail out now if I were you.

Because this is all about is My Wedding Day.

So read on, dear reader, as your screen goes all wobbly and fades to reveal a glorious summer’s day in less than glorious Slough…

Sweeping magestically over the scalding tarmac of the church car park, past my husband to be’s Austin Allegro, I arrived, fashionably late. I was joined by two bridesmaids: my sister and my sister-in-law, their perms and home-made dresses gleaming brightly in the August sunshine. Inside waited the groom, in a cheap suit and narrow tie, alongside the best man, whose perm was soon to put the bridesmaids’ to shame.

The priest took the opportunity presented by the combination of a full house and 90º temperatures to wheel out his sermon on Death and Destruction. Realising, perhaps, that 45 minutes on the poor residents of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim might not grip a modern, family audience, he skillfully weaved in a humorous subplot involving a chap who’d been run over and killed by a bus outside the church the week before.

It was not all bad. My Dad pulled out all the stops and provided a beautiful Rolls Royce to escort me to the church. He was clearly delighted to discover the chauffeur was a clay pigeon shooting enthusiast who just happened to have his equipment in the boot. How we laughed when Dad insisted the wedding photographer took a picture of me and Keith with my Dad, beaming at the irony of it all, brandishing a shotgun.

There are too many tales to tell – the best man’s speech which involved the now infamous Potato Joke; my husband’s eventful morning during which he crashed the car and locked himself out of his house; the drive from the church to the reception where our chauffeur mistakenly lead us and our convoy of guests down the westbound sliproad of the M4. And I especially won’t mention the venue for the wedding night, except to say that Keith knows he owes me a second honeymoon for that one!

But it was a happy, innocent day! It was before the advent of Wedding Fayres, Quirky Venues and Online Gift Lists. I doubt the whole day cost more than £3,000, and that fed 125 people plus another 50 in the evening. The rings were from Ratners, the wine Le Piat d’Or. My uncle filmed the wedding video, I made the dresses, our friend played the organ and my husband designed the stationery. All our families were there and we had a great time. And who’d have thought that 20 years later we’d still be going strong. Certainly not one unnamed relative who gave us “2 years, tops”. Cow!

So given that our wedding day was beset by so many “issues” of one kind or another, maybe you’re thinking we’ve planned some kind of special anniversary event, carefully designed to be the perfect celebration of 20 happy years.

Not exactly. Keith’s off work recovering from a painful operation, and I’m returning for the third time to fix a client’s recalcitrant pond which won’t stop leaking. Happy Anniversary Darling! Maybe we’ll do something for our 25th…

…summer holiday!

Yes, we’ve dug out the Travel Scrabble and packed the wellies, for tomorrow we board our charabanc to the seaside.

While we’re sampling such local delicacies as winkles, rude postcards and donkey rides, we will be unable to tend to the needs of you, our Reader. But don’t worry yourself too much, because we will be back, refreshed and skint, on 3rd August.

If you fancy a laugh while we’re gone, you could have a listen to the terrible answer phone message my dear husband left on the business line.

Until then… here’s a list of the top 20 stupid complaints made by British holiday makers.

Lush Landscape and Garden Design does not necessarily endorse any of the views expressed by guest bloggers, nor their company, products or services.

Why choose hardwood decking?

Garden hardwood decking is perfect for adding class to your garden by transforming your outdoor sanctuary into a lovely place to eat, drink and unwind. Decking is also a great way to make practical use of slopes in the garden by creating different levels and steps while not giving up on that natural look. Decking could very easily be part of your garden design by covering up unwanted surfaces, making it a very practical choice for dealing with garden imperfections.

Which wood species are suitable for decking and what to look out for:

Ipe Decking – Ipe (pronounced e-pay) originates from South America and is a very popular choice for decking on a budget without compromising on the look. Considered be the one of the hardest woods in the world (strength is three times harder than oak) it is recommended for all types of gardens and extremely popular for decks. Dark brownish, olive to dark olive in appearance, Ipe is popular as a decking material due to its insect resistance, durability and natural fire resistance.

Strong points: Ipe wood is extremely strong, making it a popular choice for areas which receive heavy foot traffic.

Teak Decking – Teak originates from Indonesia and is golden in color with dark markings and a straight grain. Teak wood contains natural oils so there is no need for preservatives and sealants. It is especially recommended for gardens and outdoor pools. Over time it will take on a natural silver-gray patina which truly adds class to any garden project and will lend an startling exotic look.

Strong points: Teak wood contains natural oils and therefore requires no additional chemical treatment.

Iroko Decking – Iroko, also know as African Teak, originates from Africa and is an exotic stylish hardwood. Iroko is extremely durable and rich in color and appearance. Although initially yellow in colour, it naturally weathers to a beautiful, chocolate brown colour which will give your garden a special exotic Zen-like feel. Recommended for all types of gardens and outdoor uses, it is also used in the boat building industry, which vouches for its quality and durability.

Strong points: Iroko is very affordable which makes the wood suitable for garden design on a tighter budget.

Cumaru Decking – Also known as Brazilian Teak, Cumaru is native to South America and starts life as a deep red/yellow wood before developing a classic silver-gray patina. Cumaru Decking is an exceptionally strong material and it boasts a fire rating of Class A (the same as concrete or steel) which, together with its anti-decay and anti-insect damage characteristics, makes it ideal for decking.

Strong points: Cumaru wood has anti-decay properties ensuring superb longevity.

Environmental Concerns
Buying tropical hardwood decking needs to be done responsibly. Look for sellers which source their wood from sustainable forests, thereby preventing the destruction of forest habitat. Deck boards which are sourced via unsustainable logging are responsible for the loss of important tree species. The species which are mentioned in this article do not appear in the Red List of threatened species, which is maintained by The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, and are all available from sustainable forests.

Hardwood decking is the perfect choice for longevity, beauty, and overall performance, and is ideal for linking interior design schemes with your garden design.

A guide by Michelle Strassburg of Wood and Beyond, sellers of hardwood decking and wood flooring since 2005.

Our brief for this steeply sloping garden was to tame the 1.8m drop in order to create a family garden which allowed for seating, lawn and plenty of planting space.

The finished garden showing multiple level changes. Shame about the weather!

The 'before' shot, showing the 1.8m climb to the rear of the garden.

From the start we worked very closely with the clients, and after agreeing the layout plans we produced 3d drawings to assist the client understand the complex level changes required to create the scheme.

The initial plan.

The 3d visual.

The scheme involved a lot of soil removal – an estimated 60 tonnes. The retaining walls are built from inverted wooden sleepers, and the patios and steps are Indian sandstone. All fences were replaced, a new lawn laid, and a small water fountain was included using a reclaimed mill stone.

Here is a final before and after shot from an upstairs window, which hopefully gives a good idea of the transformation.

The 'after' garden.

The 'before' shot.

The brief for this garden was to remove a problem raised planting feature which was cutting the garden in half, and then to provide a contemporary garden which could be used for relaxing and entertaining. The client specified they would like a larger lawn area, more seating areas in which to enjoy the evening sunshine, and low maintenance but interesting planting.

Here are a few photos of the site on our initial visit on a snowy day in February, and from the first day’s construction on-site, in March.

The view from the house, with the large problem raised bed in full view.

After discussion with the client, we added vegetable beds, a summer house and a rear gate to the brief, and it was also requested we remove the hot tub which was built into the existing deck.

The scheme we proposed involved building a completely new deck and summer house at the rear of the garden, which was a sun-trap in the evening. The deck area was to be constructed around an existing tree. The scheme then separated the lawn into three smaller areas separated by large walk-through pergolas.

Raised vegetable beds were sited in a sunny position, screened from the house by large planting beds and another existing tree. A new, shaped lawn was proposed, edged with steel, and the new deck edge was also to be clad in sheet stainless steel. We also made suggestions for garden furniture and planters to compliment the design.

The initial plan was accepted, subject to minor changes.

Construction
The first job was site clearance. The raised bed was removed, existing plants to be retained were carefully dug up and re-potted, and all turf was removed. Once the site was cleared an electric cable was laid beneath the lawn area to service the summer house at the far end of the garden. Then the site was levelled and extra top-soil was added where required.

The raised bed was removed first.

A mini-digger helps!

The site is levelled and marked out with spray paint ready for the build to start.

Aided by favourable spring weather, our carpenter was able to start work on the two feature pergolas while we installed the steel lawn edging, and once the pergolas were complete we tackled the task of removing the hot tub and making good the resultant hole in the decking.

The pergola legs going in.

The steel lawn edge will create a clean edge to the new lawn.

Removing the hot tub was no mean feat!

The hole left behind was replaced with deck boards flush to the existing surface.

With the existing deck well advanced and pergolas completed, work turned to building the new deck and summerhouse at the far end of the garden. The deck was being constructed around an existing tree, so care had to be taken with the tree’s roots when building the support structure. The vegetable beds were also installed, and surrounded with a gravel path. The next item to be installed was the turf. For this project we used Lindum Turf, which we laid over the course of a day.

Work is well underway with the new deck and base for the summerhouse.

Turfing the new lawns.

At last we reached what is, for me, the fun part – the planting. The scheme was centred around a backbone of shrubs using contrasting leaf colours, eg Phormium tenax Purpurea and ‘Yellow Wave’, Cotinus coggygria, Philadelphus coronarius Aurea and existing Physocarpus ‘Diablo’. These were combined with herbaceous plants with strong, complimentary colours, such as the orange flowered Helenium ‘Moorheim Beauty’, deep purple Penstemon ‘Raven’, and the acid greens of Alchemilla mollis and Euphorbia amygdaloides var. Robbiae.

We had some beautiful April days in which to plant the garden.

Our clients couldn't wait, and planted up the vegetable beds themselves!

The finished garden
We popped back to take some finished shots of the garden about six weeks after completion.

The view from the existing deck, through the pergolas.

The view from upstairs, with the new deck and seating in the distance.

A view back towards the house.

The new deck, with summerhouse and exterior rattan furniture.

The raised vegetable beds looking well stocked already.

Phormium, Penstemon and Helenium contrast with the existing Hawthorn hedge.

The pergolas were planted with climbing Trachelospermum jasminoides.